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Bundy, Gausman deal against Red Sox

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By Brittany Ghiroli
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MLB.com |

Fort Myers, Fla. -- The Orioles got a glimpse of the future on Saturday night with the organization's top two pitching prospects, Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman, combining for five impressive innings on the road against the Boston Red Sox.

Bundy -- who made his much-anticipated pro debut in Fort Myers last spring -- got the start and pitched two innings, allowing an unearned run on a two-out double, while Gausman followed with three scoreless frames.

"Obviously, it's cool. We are around each other every day," Gausman said of getting to pitch after Bundy. "I think we are paired in about every sense to Orioles fans."

The right-handers, drafted in the first round a year apart (Bundy 2011, Gausman '12), could arrive in Baltimore at some point this season and have both handled themselves well in big league camp. The 20-year-old Bundy hasn't allowed an earned run in three Grapefruit League outings -- spanning five innings -- and he has four strikeouts, while Gausman has delivered two consecutive scoreless outings and allowed two earned runs over 7 2/3 innings in his first Major League Spring Training.

Bundy, who hadn't pitched in a spring game since Feb. 27 due to a groin spasm, said it was good to get back in a game situation and -- despite getting his first spring start -- he wasn't nearly as nervous on Saturday as he was coming to JetBlue Park a year ago.

Bundy -- who sat in the low 90s with his fastball -- said he was most concerned with the pair of walks in the 35-pitch (18 strikes) outing, with Will Middlebrooks coming over to score off right fielder Conor Jackson's error in the second.

"Mechanic-wise, my leg kick, my drive to home plate is a little slow right now," Bundy said. "Rhythm is a little off."

The 22-year-old Gausman, who had last pitched on Monday, started with seven strikes in his first eight pitches and needed just eight pitches to get through the fourth inning. He allowed a pair of singles and struck out three, including Jonny Gomes to end his night, throwing 25 strikes in the 33-pitch outing.

"The biggest thing is I felt comfortable out there," said Gausman who had some jitters his first few times on the mound this spring. "Pretty much [the nerves are gone], they are still kind of a little bit in there, obviously I want to pitch well and things like that, but I just try to tell myself it's baseball. I've been playing the same game for I don't know how long now. Just try to focus on the things you can control."

The pair faced a Red Sox lineup missing Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Jacoby Ellsbury and Shane Victorino, but still included regulars like Gomes, Mike Napoli, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Middlebrooks.

Brittany Ghiroli is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.